The grey area of the parent trap and the failure of work to tackle it
I’m going to make a bit of a generalisation and say that there are really only two ways of working in our society. One way is task-orientated and the other way is clock-based. You can imagine this as the difference between a freelancer’s life and an office worker’s life. Task-orientated work If you’ve ever worked […]
Family-friendly workplaces: the role of mental wellbeing
Mind urges employers to create mentally healthy workplaces by tackling the causes of work-related stress and poor mental health at work, supporting members of staff experiencing a mental health problem, and promoting wellbeing for all employees. Workplace wellbeing initiatives can benefit all employees, including parents with mental health problems. Mental health problems can affect anyone, […]
What can organisations do to stop older workers disengaging from the workforce?
Early retirement: facts, forces, and erroneous solutions The ageing workforce is creating unprecedented challenges for organizations and governments. By 2030 the number of people aged over 55 in high-income countries will have grown to 500 million. However, it can also present opportunities for policy makers and employers. PricewaterhouseCoopers suggested that “the ageing workforce offers a […]
Female leaders in travel – on leadership and courage
On the 8th November 2016 the third Women in Travel meetup took place in London. Female and male attendees alike from places as diverse as India, Kenya, Switzerland, the US and many others shared their stories over an afternoon that included two panel debates, one on leadership and one on entrepreneurship. We also had group […]
The diversity challenge? Team cohesion grows from shared goals
Nisha from Finance eyes her lemon meringue cupcake, the topping melting in the sun. Liz from Communications forces a bright grin as she grapples with the microphone. “And the winner of the Cupcake King or Queen of 2016 is…” Nisha hasn’t mistakenly entered herself for The Great British Bake Off, she’s just struggling to enjoy […]
Coffee Break: Empathy, employee surveys and HR dark arts
Here is your weekly round up of news, opinion and interesting blogs from across the HR world, which we've been busily curating for you over the past few days. Let us know what you've enjoyed reading this week, and tell us what you think of the articles we've shared. Strategy – Defence of the #HR dark […]
Forgetting ‘normal’ – how HR can help showcase the positive differences of dyslexic team members
One in 10 people in the UK is dyslexic, myself included. I've experienced first-hand so many outdated attitudes towards dyslexia and other learning differences. Yet I feel proud of the innovation and creativity dyslexia allows. Dyslexia is classed as a disability - which automatically generates preconceived notions of the person suffering from it – “you’re […]
Coffee Break: Trust, culture management and the importance of being liked at work
Here is your weekly list of news, opinion and interesting blogs from across the HR world, selected by us so you don't have to spend your coffee break scrolling through newsfeeds. Let us know what you've enjoyed reading this week, or tell us what you think of the articles we've shared in the comments below. […]
Blind recruitment: A small step forward, but how do we make the leap?
The CBI’s recent call for the removal of names on CVs is one example of ongoing attempts to combat prejudice in the world of recruitment. A number of big name employers, including BBC, NHS and Virgin Money have jumped on the bandwagon too by incorporating so called ‘blind recruitment’ into their hiring process. But, while […]
Older workers deprived of performance appraisals and training in the UK – what can we do?
There's so much rich insight coming out of the academic sector that HR professionals need to know. At Academics' Corner we feature the best HR researchers that tell you what they’ve found and what you need to do differently on the back of the research. Get connected to the academic sector through Academics’ Corner and […]
Hiring for cultural fit: the diversity equation
How does your recruitment programme work? Do you look for personal qualities or abilities, qualifications or past experience? Do you skim application forms, ticking off criteria against a preset list; or do you search for that special something which may enrich the organisation? It’s difficult isn’t it, particularly for those jobs where you’ve had hundreds […]
Why your creative employees are more likely to be risk-takers
“Five years from now, over one-third of skills (35%) that are considered important in today’s workforce will have changed.” “Creativity will become one of the top three skills workers will need.” – World Economic Forum, 2016 In the most popular TED talk of all time, Sir Ken Robinson delivers a powerful argument about the way […]
How to deal with dinosaurs in the workplace
In my role as a behavioural consultant, many of the business professionals I work with understand the importance – the necessity even – of continued development, change and moving with the times. However, older or more established team members, whilst often performing well, can often be very resistant to change. This is a common cause […]
Why we should embrace the six-hour working day
Gary Cattermole, Director, The Survey Initiative, discusses how some companies in Scandinavia are introducing a six-hour day to boost levels of employee engagement and how this could really benefit businesses in the UK too. No doubt if we held a referendum on who is fed-up with the 9-5 there would be a majority eager to embrace […]
Keeping diversity and inclusion on the agenda during uncertain times
During uncertain times, such as the recent fallout from the decision on the European referendum, leaders tend to opt for the ‘tried-and-tested’ policy, often to the detriment of their diversity and inclusion (D&I) work. But keeping D&I at the forefront of our minds is even more important for leaders when the future is looking unclear. People […]
How to achieve diversity through merit-based hiring
Employers worldwide are recognising that to grow their businesses and address the challenges and opportunities they face, they need to be diverse and inclusive. This is not just to fulfil legal compliance or their moral obligation. There are sound commercial reasons why today’s workplaces should reflect the diversity of the population. With a diverse talent […]
American tech entrepeneur Vivek Wadhwa on diversity, the future of education and Apple’s innovation model
Vivek Wadhwa is an American technology entrepreneur, thinker and academic. He is a fellow at the Rock Center for Corporate Governance and wrote the 2014 book 'Innovating Women: The Changing Face of Technology.' Vivek is a regular columnist for the Washington Post and Bloomberg BusinessWeek and he is a strong proponent of greater diversity in organisations. […]
Breakfast Insight: Talent breadth v depth
Breakfast Insight is your short dose of new ideas and food for thought, perfect to watch with your morning coffee. Today we're chatting to Caroline Gourlay, an experienced business psychologist and founder of Bath-based Caroline Gourlay Consulting. Contact or ask Caroline a question on Twitter at @carolinegourlay. Caroline tells us about: Whether people are predisposed to a […]
We will only get truly inclusive organisations if we question the way work works
The Women and Equalities Select Committee recently estimated that a failure to use women’s skills is costing the UK £36 billion a year. This is clearly a problematic issue that we need to address as a society, but it isn’t just the skills of women that are being underutilised. It is the skills of anyone […]
Are female senior managers really paid less?
There's so much rich insight coming out of the academic sector that HR professionals need to know. At Academics' Corner we feature the best HR researchers that tell you what they’ve found and what you need to do differently on the back of the research. Get connected to the academic sector through Academics’ Corner and […]
